


Of Thieves and Archmages

by HayamaRei



Series: Of Thieves and Family Bonds [6]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Archmage OC because she's awesome and I love her, College of Winterhold - Freeform, Gen, I like the different factions interacting, a loose take on how magic in skyrim works because the canon is too limited, how do I even tag this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 18:36:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16224944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HayamaRei/pseuds/HayamaRei
Summary: Moira returns to a place she's robbed once. This time with a favor to ask.





	Of Thieves and Archmages

**Author's Note:**

> Let the time skips begin. This is set about two years after the previous fic. That doesn't mean I won't hop back in time though. 
> 
> This features my very first Skyrim character from my first playthrough as a mage. I've taken liberties with how magic works because I feel like it feels more real not to limit it to what the game has to offer. Also, any OC in this series will probably be based on my playthroughs as I like focusing my characters on certain aspects (Moira is my thief, Aliya is my mage, Nathaniel is my assassin etc.) and they will remain so minus the Dragonborn part. I just wanted to get that out in case it gets confusing. This probably sounds confusing anyway. Oh well, we'll figure it out as we go. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Moira entered the Arch-Mage’s quarters in broad daylight and almost chuckled to herself. Last time she'd been there she'd robbed the place, many years ago when she'd just started out with the Guild. In the times when Mercer Fray was still a Master and the Arch-Mage was some old man. Both divisions had change in leadership since then. 

She scaled the stairwell into the spacious room, noting the changes made since the last time she’d seen it. More workstations, things cluttered in piles, small mountains of scrolls in the corners, and herbs on almost every free surface. It looked like someone was actually working there compared to the perfect order that had reigned the place last time Moira had seen it. She liked it. 

The Arch-Mage was an Imperial woman who looked not much older than Moira herself. She was leaning in front of what seemed like a big mirror placed on a table by the wall but instead of her own reflection there was the face of a young girl on the other side. 

“What is the one rule regarding Necromancy that we have?” The Arch-Mage asked sternly and the elf halted in her steps, watching the scene unfold. The girl in the mirror’s lips moved but no sound came out. “Exactly!” The woman exclaimed. “We do not bring back dead bodies for fun! No I don't care she was in town! Lucia, magic has rules and you can't do it to show off! Now promise me you'll never do that again so I can calm down mama because she is freaking out.” The girl looked ashamed after that and said something again. “Thank you. And no more unauthorised Necromancy. If you want to practice it do it on rats and away from other people. I love you.” With that the image blurred out until the woman's face was reflecting back at her. She heaved a deep sigh and put away some sort of crystal Moira supposed helped her hear the other person. 

The woman turned around after that and startled a little when she saw she wasn't alone. “Oh, hello there.”

“I didn't mean to interrupt.” Moira said politely. 

“You aren't. Just kids, you know? She's coming of age and working to find a way to shorten me and my wife's lives.” 

Moira laughed. “Don't I know it. My elder son started when he was sixteen.” She confided and the other woman smiled. “I'm Moira, by the way.”

“Aliya, pleased to meet you.” Aliya smiled. “Now I assume you're not visiting me just to bond over children?” She offered Moira a seat and waved her hand at a nearby kettle, making steam blow out of it. “Tea?”

Moira smiled and shook her head. “No, thank you.” The kettle stopped boiling. “I'm here because Enthir said I should turn to you. See, I'm looking for a ring with a very particular enchantment to it.”

Aliya sat down as well and regarded Moira with an assessing look. There was something to her Moira couldn't quite place. Her face was soft, open and friendly, but her eyes were sharp and attentive, missing nothing. She was powerful and the magic moved with her. Moira made a note not to cross her.

“Alright. What sort of enchantment?” She asked still friendly as ever. 

“Power absorption. Enthir told me about the staff you used to save the College years ago. I need a ring with it.” 

Aliya obviously hadn't expected that as an answer because her eyebrows shot up. “What does the Thieves Guild Master need a ring like that for?” She asked sending Moira into defensive stand immediately. Her shoulders tensed, left hand twitching towards the blade in her boot. “Oh no, I didn't mean to accuse! This isn't- My brother, Nathaniel, he's in the Brotherhood.” Aliya hurried to explain. “And you're wearing the Guild's amulet, it wasn't hard to put the pieces from what he'd told me together. You're in no danger here.”

Moira relaxed a little, but her attention remained sharp. “It's not for me. The ring. It's for my son. He joined the Guild a few years ago, and as a mother I've been terrified of what could happen but the truth is - he's good. He's more than good actually and one day he'll be a better thief than me.” She explained. “But he's young and he found some books, old myths about ruins guarded by spirits that are a trial for every thief, with a treasure waiting at the end.”

“He wants to go.” Aliya said. 

Moira nodded. “I can't stop him as a mother and if I stop him as a Master he'll never forgive me. I offered to go with him but he refused. Says he has to do it on his own. You probably know as well as I do that spirits attack different than living things.”

Aliya’s face was soft as she listened, nodding a few times until Moira was finished. 

“Right now I don't have a way to enchant a ring like that.” She said and Moira’s heart dropped. “However I still have the Staff of Magnus and my wife has been studying it. She's also a part of the College and a brilliant mage as it is. If we work together I'm sure we'll be able to find a way to replicate the enchantment onto a piece of jewellery.” 

Moira’s face lit up with hope. “Thank you!” She pulled a silver ring from her pocket. “You can use this one. His father forged it for him.”

Aliya took the ring and smiled reassuringly. It was a smile that made people feel safe, Moira noted. “I'll do my best.”

“About the price.” Moira said because nothing in life was free. Except stolen things. But that wasn't the point. “I have gold, so just name it.”

Aliya chuckled. “No. I don't need gold. How about a favour? I'll do this for you and one day I may need a thief’s services.” Moira narrowed her eyes. She didn't like owing favours. “Nothing nefarious, I promise. Nothing your Guild doesn't already offer as a service. My brother is the right choice to turn to if you need someone gone but he can't sneak to save his life. And sometimes a mage needs something a person isn't willing to sell but not bad enough to have said person killed for it. I'm sure you understand.”

So that's how it was. Aliya really had it down. Being the Arch-Mage secured her a position of respect but she wasn't past dirty play. Moira respected that. 

“Alright. You got yourself a deal.” She accepted and shook the Mage’s hand. 

Aliya walked her out of the building. 

“Oh, and you can tell Enthir to stop pretending like those bags he drags in in the dead of the night are herbs. I'm well aware of what he's doing here. I haven't said anything because he doesn’t do the College any harm  
.” She said right before they parted, making Moira laugh. 

“He likes to think he's sneaky. He means well though.”

“I figured as much. It was great meeting you Moira.” Aliya grinned.

“You too.”

Moira walked out of the College feeling like she just made a valuable friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked my overpowered lesbian mage girl! 
> 
> So, this was more or less a filler to introduce Aliya in order to get to another idea that shaped in my mind. I really like writing her character and establishing her as more than a concept I've had while playing, so I might actually do a spinoff or two that focus on her story. 
> 
> Next part is almost finished so it shouldn't take too long.


End file.
